Tiffin University (34-14) was unable to hold leads throughout its game with Hillsdale, eventually falling in 8 innings to the Chargers 6-5.
Tiffin had leads in the first and fifth innings but could not hold them in the back-and-forth contest.
Ella Esterby took the loss in relief of starter
Lexi Key, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing one earned run on 3 hits. Key went 5.1 innings and allowed 5 earned runs with 8 strikeouts.
In the first,
McKenna Scott opened with a walk and came home on
Tori McPherson's double. McPherson then scored when
Jessica Miller singled to center field.
The Chargers answered with two runs in the second. Trailing 3-2 in the fifth, the Dragons bounced back with two runs. Scott, McPherson, and Miller opened with singles to load the bases, and
Macy Brazelton knocked two runs home with a single up the middle.
Again, Hillsdale responded immediately with two runs in the sixth. The Dragons rallied in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. Another Scott single was followed by a McPherson sacrifice that moved Scott to third base. Miller then lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game 5-5.
Tiffin was unable to rally again in the eighth.
Tiffin had 10 hits overall and left 5 on base. Miller had 3 hits with 2 RBI.
The Dragons will now await NCAA regional selections to find out their postseason future.
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